Hi,my name is Alan Woodcock.I have been bird-watching in the area for nearly fifty years and (bird ringing)since 1980.I hope to keep up to date sightings of wildlife I have seen (mainly birds)with occasional diary entries of past times.

Monday, 6 January 2014

PAST TIMES (New Hythe,January,1987)

January 1987,began mild enough,but by the10th,it had turned bitterly cold.Heavy snow then fell along the North Downs and in the valley between the 10th-14th,resulting in many villages being cut off for several days,particularly after drifting occurred in the strong NE winds.
One species that was hit particularly hard was the Cetti`s Warbler.Although I re-trapped one female at New Hythe during May of that year.No more were recorded in the area until the spring of 1993,when one bird was heard along the northern edge of Abbey Mead lake.By 1995,up to 4 males were present.

Bewick`s Swan 1 14th-17th,with 5 on the 20th.
Brent Goose 3 passed over SW on the 2nd.
Wigeon 15 on Abbey Mead,9th-11th,on the 12th,100 flew onto the lake from the N,with 10 Pintail. .
Gadwall up to 70 in the area.
Mallard 240 on Tesco lake on the 14th.
Pochard up to 400 in the area.
Tufted Duck up to 500 in the area.
Scaup 1 drake on Abbey Mead 12th.
Goldeneye 4 on Abbey Mead 12th.
Smew 1 drake on Abbey Mead 12th,by the end of the month up to 25,were in the area,which included up to six drakes.
Red-breasted Merganser 1 on Abbey Mead 14th- 24th.
Goosander 2 red-heads 12th,11,including 7 drakes 19th.
Bittern up to 2 in the area.
Red-necked Grebe 2 on Tesco lake 17th.
Slavonian Grebe 1 on Abbey Mead 24th.
Bar-tailed Godwit 1 on 14th.
Short-eared Owl 1 in the area during the month.
Long-eared Owl up to 9 roosting in the area during the month.
Skylark 100s were seen flying over on the 24th.

I had my one and only garden record of a Tree Sparrow on the 15th.What I wonder would be the odds of me seeing another one in the garden,27 years on !.